Your Diversity Officer Should Be a Cruise Director

I’m uneasy with the idea of affinity groups, the single-dimension networks that are all the rage in the corporate diversity world. Seems every company I know is forming affinity groups centered on various differences: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, generation, and so on.

I understand why they’re popular. We all like to feel we belong, and identifying with a similarly-defined set of individuals is comfortable and slows the assimilation of the smaller group into the dominate group norm. Rather than forcing a corporation of clones, affinity groups help maintain some of the outward manifestations of diversity.

Clearly such initiatives have business value even if all they do is provide the organization with access to and retention of a broader talent pool. The opportunity to draw from more pools increases the likelihood of finding top stars.

All good. But woefully insufficient to drive real value from diversity.

The strongest business benefit of diversity unquestionably comes through the combination of different ideas and perspectives to create new insights — to innovate. Reaping the benefits of diversity requires bringing the perspectives together, not keeping them apart.

Creating connections is a far more subtle challenge than can be met through the formation and support of affinity groups. It requires a Chief Diversity Officer who thinks more like a Cruise Director, getting people out of their cabins to mix with others, creating activities that promote networking and making introductions that form new relationships. Diversity Officers must put more focus on creating bridges than comfortable retreats.

This is a logical extension of Diversity Officers’ responsibilities, which have generally evolved through three stages:

Stage One: Recruiting and Sensitivity Training — Making sure people are aware of things they should or should not say or do (things that the “other” guy might find offensive), assuring compliance.

Stage Three: Innovating and Connections — Helping individuals recognize the legitimacy of the other guys’ point of view and value perspectives that are different, developing appreciation.

Stage One

The first, important step forward is the desire to attract and retain a more diverse population. In this initial stage, companies are moving from a homogeneous group of employees, typically defined in terms of race and gender, to one that encompasses a more heterogeneous talent pool.

Many companies moved into this phase in the 1970’s and 1980’s, often spurred on by government requirements. It remains an important priority for many still today, particularly as our understanding of diversity has broadened to including thinking styles and other, more subtle differences. Over the past year, I’ve worked with a number of major organizations that define their primary diversity goal as bringing people from a wider variety of backgrounds and perspectives into the firm.

In this stage, two programs take priority. The first is recruiting. Companies typically look for new channels of talent — new universities, perhaps, in new locations. They may engage new recruiting specialists and re-shape key messages to appeal to a new audience.

The second important programmatic activity in this stage is sensitivity training (or, in a more modern interpretation, awareness development). Without this accompanying educational component, the organization can be unprepared for diverse members.

Stage Two

The second stage of diversity shifts to a focus on retention and engagement of diverse populations within the organization. Here, companies add inclusion to the priorities — creating an environment in which a wide range of individuals feel comfortable and grounded and are able to succeed. There is clear recognition that individuals from diverse backgrounds are likely to have a wide variety of preferences and expectations and they will require additional support to develop productive careers.

This is where affinity groups usually appear. Done well, these groups can provide members with access to leadership, serve as a communication channel regarding key openings at the company, and create an enjoyable meeting place for colleagues with similar backgrounds or interests. Sponsoring these groups highlights a company’s commitment to diversity.

The role and ultimate effectiveness of affinity groups varies widely among companies today. For some, employee affinity groups are primarily social — giving individual employees of like backgrounds an opportunity to interact. In other companies, affinity groups are charged with an important education role — to promote the visibility of cultures represented more broadly within the organization. While valuable, these types of affinity groups probably fall short of achieving the ultimate objectives of retention and engagement, because they fail to tackle the bottom-line questions of an individual’s career success and the business impact of diversity.

Affinity groups with the greatest opportunity for impact are those that focus on enhancing members’ professional opportunities. Success requires that the company put systems in place to work with through affinity groups to further specific business goals and to develop and tap the pool of talent represented. For example, some assign mentors to help with career development. Some create specialized career tracks, perhaps to supplement specific skills or provide exposure to key parts of the organization.

Stage Three

There is a third stage of diversity, one that requires a fundamental shift in attitudes toward people who are in any way “different.” In this stage, individuals appreciate the “rightness” of multiple positions and acknowledge the legitimacy and business benefit of individuals’ differing values, views and behaviors. This understanding is greatly aided by thoughtful education that emphasizes the underlying logic and value of individual views.

But it is brought home through personal relationships — opportunities for individuals from varying backgrounds and perspectives to get to know and trust each other — to discover the fun of looking at an issue from a new vantage point or combining two very different sets of knowledge into a powerful new insight.

This stage requires the formation of personal bridges and connections throughout your organization. It requires senior leaders — spurred on by the Diversity Officer, but certainly joined by leaders throughout — to get people out mixing with others, to make introductions, and to play that Cruise Director role.

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